As we have now wrapped up our trip, people have been asking us what our favourite destination was. This is never an easy answer. We loved all the places we visited for different reasons. There is not a place that we visited that we would not suggest someone to visit, it just depends on what you are looking for. This is why I am going to list what we and I loved about each place. This blog has not yet experienced lists and bullet points and this is because my creative and artistic wife as been posting them. Yes, I Zack am writing this post and hope you enjoy it half as much as Sarah's well written posts.
With that being cleared up, here is a list off all the cities and countries we visited.
Reykjavik, Iceland - Best place for rugged landscapes and adventures
- We experienced landscapes on the way from the airport to the city that looked more like the moon than anywhere else
- We had our first go at hitchhiking to get to the local mountain. It was very successful and we waited less then 5 minutes each time for the 20 minute car ride
- Had the best view from our hostel to Mount Esja and really enjoyed hiking it
- Blue Lagoon is everything it is hyped up to be. Expensive but worth it!
Copenhagen, Denmark - Best place for biking
- We loved every minute that we were biking around this city. Best biking city as it is flat and caters to cyclists so much
- Airbnb host helped us out so much. Search for Didde if you ever want a place to stay
Berlin, Germany - Best place for history
- Enjoyed our walking tour and seeing history that is quite recent (Berlin Wall - 1989 and WWII - 1939 to 1945)
- Watching Germany win the World Cup along with thousands of other Germans at Brandenburg Gate
- Following the game up with a Doner Kebab that falls into our top 5 food experiences
Prague, Czech Republic - Best place for romance
- The most beautiful and romantic city we visited. One of the reasons being the parks we picnicked in that had amazing views of the castle. The castle was beautifully lit up once the sun set
- Cheapest city that we visited: accommodations, food, drinks, everything!
- Biergartens: enjoyed them much more here than in Munich because of prices and the local vibe instead of touristy feel
- Sarah's cheese and spinach gnocchi that we had our first night at the biergarten. Also makes it into top 5 food experiences
Munich, Germany - Best place for Saturday afternoons in the park
- Having a bonfire at our hostel. This was at The Tent which was also a very cool expereince. Also one of the cheapest accommodations
- Floating down the Eisback with thousands of other locals in the English Garden. Very fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon
- Visitng Dachau Concentration Camp
Interlaken, Switzerland - Best place for hiking (and cow watching)
- Our stay at our friend's place in Arisdorf (on our way to Interlaken). They showed us amazing hospitality and it was wonderful spending time with friends from home
- The cheese fondue meal that they made for us. Top 5 food experience
- Views that we saw while hiking, just stunning
- Scootering down the mountain! This was suggested by friend's of friends in Arisdorf and it was way cooler than I was expecting
Cinque Terre, Italy - Best place for cliff side picturesque towns
- Stunning views of the Mediterranean. The 5 towns built into the rocks and cliffs were spectacular
- Swimming in the ocean for the first time (Copenhagen does not really count as it was a quick dip since the water temperature was quite cold)
- Eating gelato for the first of many times. I had dark chocolate and it paired wonderfully with our bottle of red wine
Lucca, Italy - Best place for pizza and wandering
- Pizza dinner prepared by and eaten with our host's family. We ate so much good pizza and even had Nutella pizza for dessert. Top 5 food experience for sure.
- Getting lost in the walled city of Lucca, very picturesque streets
- Finally making it to 'typical' Tuscany and being rewarded with splendid views of the country side
Rome, Italy - Best place for scootering and ancient ruins
- Absolutely loved renting our scooter for 24 hours and riding around the city
- Walking the city streets that were just as picturesque but with a vibrant city feel
Bari, Italy - Best place for beaches and old towns
- By far the most stressful moments of our trip include the hours leading up to and eventually the moment of missing our ferry
- Fortunately we were rewarded with the best beach on our whole trip. It had white sand and was quite shallow as you could walk out 75 metres
- Walking the old wall at night and seeing the old town all light up
Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia - Best place for adventure
- Meeting up with three great friends from home
- Cliff jumping on our kayak tour and canyoning
- Having warm chocolate croissants for breakfast. Top 5 food experience
- Finding, buying and eating fresh figs from a street side vendor. So much better than the dried ones I have been eating at home
Venice, Italy - Best place for strolling canals
- Relaxing pool side at the Jolly Village campground (Especially after our adventure filled time in Croatia)
- Walking the canals at night. This meant cooler temperatures and a lot less tourists
- Finding and enjoying pizza kebab. We loved it so much we went back for round two the next night
Innsbruck, Austria - Best place for prime location
- Our hostel which was located in the heart of old town. Our six bed room was so spacious and we met and connected with great people
- The smells as you entered the café below the hostel
Paris, France - Best in language and city parks
- Listening to people speak French. I believe it is the most beautiful language, so eloquent and sophisticated
- Lazy afternoons in the parks. Had a few naps while basking in the sun of such well kept grounds
- Walking and biking along the Seine and watching people partake in all the free activities, even adults on workout facilities. Canada needs more free outdoor fitness playgrounds
Any there you have it people, a few highlights.
Finally, if you are planning a trip in the near future to Europe or anywhere really, I have only one suggestion (okay, maybe more. Ask me if you really want more suggestions). I know it is so exciting to research and book a place but if you can, leave some stuff open. The places that exceeded our expectations were the ones we knew little about. And on the other end, the hostels that I raved about to Sarah were never the best. Setting the bar low sometimes, really does help.
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